SL PE4 & 5 -- and hamstrings!

probably an obvious point, but as I get deeper into these sets my hamstrings really start to engage. 

I just realized that is probably the point where I need to stop because I'm really not doing the exercise properly -- right? 

Hi Paul,

Thanks for posting on the forum! Your hamstrings will definitely engage as part of your posterior chain with these exercises, you're welcome to post a video for form review and have one of our expert coaches advise if you are doing the exercise correctly.

Like Karli said your whole posterior chain should engage if you do it properly. 
I had been doing those pe s for a while and found them quiet easy, but when I finally took a video of myself I realised that I'm bending my knees at the top of the movement. Locking out the knees it got way harder and I experienced massive cramps in the calfs and quads. Nevertheless, those are the moments that really help understand where a weak link is and address it. 

Aside from Karli and Bas' tips make sure that you engage your core and glutes. I find it that lack of engagement in glutes will tend to concentrate the efforts on the hamstring area.

maybe I said it wrong: as I get deeper in the sets, my hammies and glutes are doing pretty much all the work. Is that right? 

To leo's point, the hammies are probably doing more than the glutes, so maybe I can even that out a bit.

i'll post a video, but I'm not sure you visualize what I'm talking about. 

Well, it's physically impossible for your glutes and hamstrings to do all the work in an arch up  

It could be your core and upper back are better conditioned than your glutes and hamstrings, which means that by the end of your set your posterior chain is fatigued making you feel like all your effort is going to those muscles. 

Julia I'm sure you're right and have no doubt my hams and glutes are weak relate to core and upper back. I mean my hams in particular are BURNING as I get deep into the set, and the rest of me is pretty much fine. 

I'll try to post a video when i do this exercise tomorrow. I'll appreciate it if someone could let me know if I'm doing something incorrect that is putting too much emphasis on the hamstrings. My guess though is it is just a lack of balance in my conditioning. 

12 hours ago, Julia Quigley said:

Well, it's physically impossible for your glutes and hamstrings to do all the work in an arch up  

Actually, the glutes do quite a lot of work, and hamstrings too… (it's like a stiff-legged deadlift, used to strengthen the glutes and hams)… so to feel it there a lot is not surprising, especially if they are a little weak and tire much faster than the (lower) back. 

8 hours ago, PAUL DALY said:

I mean my hams in particular are BURNING as I get deep into the set, and the rest of me is pretty much fine. 

They may be very weak (and maybe also tight?). Focus (mind-muscle connection) on the glutes as much as you can during the movement, both positive and negative. They will get stronger with time. 

7 hours ago, Suzanna McGee said:

Actually, the glutes do quite a lot of work, and hamstrings too… (it's like a stiff-legged deadlift, used to strengthen the glutes and hams)… so to feel it there a lot is not surprising, especially if they are a little weak and tire much faster than the (lower) back.

Yes, I'm very aware. That point was made earlier and Paul replied that he felt like his posterior chain was doing "pretty much all the work" so I was being a little snarky before I also suggested that his glutes and hamstrings needed more conditioning. We're on the same page.